Looking to buy a new gaming laptop very soon...
 

I've been looking at buying a new gaming laptop very soon. I work for a gaming company and the big must have an NVidia GeForce card. However, since I'll also be using the system for work, I figured this laptop might become my main system.

I need some help looking at other options.

What I don't want:

*build my own (I don't have time)
*Dell - don't like

What I've looked at:
*Alienware m9700 - What I like:

• Dual-drive RAID (if I'm going to be using this as a main system, I'll need the dual drives in case one crashes, so that I can continue to work)
• NVidia card
• Built-in tv tuner and webcam
• Deal going on right now with free mimo router and card (I need to buy a new router anyway)
• Alienware seems to be a preferred gaming company

However this system is going to run me a little over $3k. Ouch.

*ABSPC Mayhem Z5 - what I like:

• I have an ABS desktop - best system I've ever had
• Has NVidia card
• Built-in tv tuner and webcam

What it doesn't have - dual Raid drives - I'd be out of luck if the drive crashed; the price was running a little lower (but not much) than the Alienware

*ABSPC Mayhem T1 - No nonsense machine. Doesn't have a tvtuner (not a must have) but does have a webcam. One drive capability only.
--A big PLUS - the price. I can get two of these for the price I'd pay for one Alienware or one Z5. It doesn't have the processing power (1.6GHz) that the Alienware system has - my concern is that it's not going to be able to handle games and work with the same aplomb as the heftier Alienware system.

Does anyone have an opinion about all this? Any other recommendations I could look at? Thanks for your time!

I'm getting an m9700 in a few months due to constant travel involving work. I strongly suggest getting it, as it is a fantastic piece of hardware. $3000 seems daunting, but you can pay it in monthly installments which really won't be too horrid. I suggest you buy 512 RAM (cheapest) and purchase whatever other RAM you need from www.newegg.com as Alienware's stick prices are twice that of NewEgg's. Stick to Corsair. I hear it is very nice for Alienware.

Also, invest in some cooling pad. Alienware stuff gets hot, and fast.

check out http://www.pro-star.com/ I like their laptops, though I don't think they offer raid. Their prices tend to be lower then alienware

Are the cards in gaming laptops now replaceable? If not, then I'd wait for a 8800 Go GFX card. If they are, get whatever you want, and worry about it later.

no, video cards are still not replaceable for laptops.
nvidia hasn't said anything about the Go version of the 8800 yet, at least I couldn't find any info on their site. I guess they're pushing the desktop version for now.

Looking into something new
 

Since I don't want to start a new thread, I am just interested in knowing if Acer is a good company to get a notebook from. I have heard from people that Acer makes good & reliable notebooks. But I just want to find out a little bit more, just to be safe, since my last purchase of a notebook has nearly brought me to a nervous break down. So if you have heard anything good or bad, I want it all.

This was the notebook I was looking at to purchase http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16834115288